Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book blogging tradition by Jill @ Breaking the Spine (http://breakingthespine.blogspot.com/). This is where books that we are desperately waiting for get a special spotlight. Pssst, it's a recommendation that you be on a look out to for these books.  Th I have not decided if I'll do this biweekly or monthly you'll just have to wait and see. 

 Broken by Marianne Curley

Published: March 2014 (April 2014 in the US, if you can't get a Aussie version) 

Series: Avena 

Sequel to: Hidden (Book 1 in Avena)

Ebony is not quite human. She’s descended from Avena, an otherworldly realm caught between warring light and dark forces. But she doesn’t feel like she’s in danger . . . until her boyfriend Nathaneal almost dies protecting her. Now Nathaneal is in jail for revealing his powers to the enemy, and Ebony’s only ally is jealous Jordan, who’d love to break her and Nathaneal up.

But when Jordan announces he has a connection to Ebony’s missing birth father, she can’t help but be intrigued. The two make a plan to find him, but it quickly goes awry, and Ebony finds herself in the treacherous heart of Avena. She has no choice but to navigate this perilous world—or die trying. 

Fantastical and emotionally powerful, this epic inter-world romance series will appeal to fans of Laini Taylor and Cynthia Hand.

I fell in love with Hidden at start with the cover, I mean seriously who doesn't love a cover with feathers.  The book then preceded with an assumed romance between Ebony and Jordan and them boom that romance is split apart with a dark prince and a soul mate (Nathaneal).  The tension was immense and the mystery great. Can't wait to see what Broken plays with.

Review World After

World After by Susan Ee

Available Now

Book Two Penryn &The End of Days

Sequel to Angelfall

In this sequel to the bestselling fantasy thriller, Angelfall, the survivors of the angel apocalypse begin to scrape back together what's left of the modern world. When a group of people capture Penryn's sister Paige, thinking she's a monster, the situation ends in a massacre. Paige disappears. Humans are terrified. Mom is heartbroken.

Penryn drives through the streets of San Francisco looking for Paige. Why are the streets so empty? Where is everybody? Her search leads her into the heart of the angels' secret plans, where she catches a glimpse of their motivations, and learns the horrifying extent to which the angels are willing to go.

Meanwhile, Raffe hunts for his wings. Without them, he can't rejoin the angels, can't take his rightful place as one of their leaders. When faced with recapturing his wings or helping Penryn survive, which will he choose?

I've always adored and worshiped the combinations of sci-fi and fantasy and romance. Susan Ee blew me away with her combination. I mean what better way to do it than with angels that cause the end of the world and civilization with a very unusual hierarchy. Plus, this angel that the protagonist needs to help her, but eventually falls in love with. And that angel is about to become fall with a side of dry humor, sarcasm, and butt kicking included. BAM!

This book started out right where Angelfall ended. The book was a blur at the beginning with so many things happening. Penryn was assumed dead because of no heart beat haven't they heard of  drugs that slow your heart beat, seriously that is all the scorpions do people. Paige is having a lot of time dealing with being, to be frank, is viewed as a monster.

I just found the sword weird. I mean really a thinking word that thing is smarter than me. The sword even gets ashamed when Penryn uses it because she is such a bad swords-women. The sword intimidates other swords because it is so powerful, despite all of this I love you Pooky Bear.

This book was slow at the beginning with thinly veiled  predictable outcomes. The prison and ideas were something my fortunetelling cat could figure out (not that I own one........). I liked that we got more of glimpse at the angel's plans which were not predictable. The mention of the real world made this book seemed more urban fantasy than Angelfall.

Raffe, I mean seriously where did he go? The great chemistry with the dry humor and snarkiness were gone sadly. I loved though that Penryn often thought about Raffe with just a slip up, such as Raffe would have loved that. The few moments we see him through the sword he is always so commanding and authoritative. Raffe's wings the demon ones just break me up with the stomach knotting.

This book is great, the storyline is wonderful.The writing however is a little dodgy as the descriptions and ma moments are wonderful, but I feel the action writing could use a bit of help. I love the way the books feel and the chemistry of the not-so-perfect characters.

FAVORITE QUOTES

"I'm pretty sure I saw Zuckerburg digging the latrine dish beside Raffe at the camp a few days ago. I guess a billion dollars doesn't buy much respect..."

"This is not just an angel sword. She's an archangel sword. Better than an angel sword, in case that's not clear. She intimidates the other angel swords.

"He's a monster. She's a monster. Who else is going to accept her without considering her a freak, much less understand what she's going through?"

"When he looks at me, it's the look of someone noticing a person for the first time, proving yet again that an angel's arrogance knows no bounds. Which, now that I think about it, increases the likelihood that this is Raffe."

Review Onyx

 Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book Two of Luxen Novels

Available Now

Bookologists Analysis: This book was romantic with a beautiful subplot of a lost sibling and evil twisted supposed friends.

 Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

Okay, so right after I read Obsidian I knew I had to read this. The cliffhanger with Katy leaving Daemon was too big to resist. The tension runs high with this book between Daemon and Katy, with the usual cuddling and hot steaming kissing and just the overall issue of too much romance that wants to make you melt into a senseless puddle on the floor.

Blake, meet Blake. He's new straight from Santa Monica, what is with new kids and West Virginia I mean seriously, West Virginia needs a life. He's a surfer a blogger and cute. What could possibly go wrong? I found that I like Blake as one of those best guy friends you have. The ones who know you, but you would never ever date. Blake of course has different ideas. We seem him as sometimes a bit off, but never take assumptions for a granted.

I miss Dee. Dee was the first person we met in West Virginia. She was the only non-jerkish alien. She was our best friend. We start to feel her drift away, despite the best friend relationship we have with her. This awesome girlfriend just floating away WHY? WHY? I believe that some of the best relationships in YA sci-fi/fantasy are the girl best friend one because they are always so close.

Katy now has the freak accidents and they are creepy with the whole books flying off shelves literally re imagined.   Daemon for once has no idea what to do. The Source is something like The Force it runs through everyone and everything, people/aliens have various degrees of control of it.

This is a short review I know, but its a great book. The book is sometimes slow because of the lack of relationships outside of Daemon and Blake that Katy is missing and that is really sad. I am a big advocate of best friend strong relationships. I hope that picks up for Opal. See ya!

Review Obsidian

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Available Now

Book One in the Lux Series

Bookologist Analysis: A die hard romance with a bad attitude boy next door with a hint of a far away destroyed galaxy. 

STARTING OVER SUCKS

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

AND THEN HE OPENED HIS MOUTH

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

THE HOT ALIEN LIVING NEXT DOOR MARKS ME

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

IF I DON’T KILL HIM FIRST, THAT IS

I read this book in one day. My face was glued to inside the covers. Why do such good authors make us book bloggers hermits? Why Jennifer why? I fell for Daemon hard. He has an attitude and snarkiness. He is definitely not you typical boy next door sweet and nice type.

Let's b be honest when we first meet Katy she's this innocent little girl with a 4.0 GPA a book blog and plays it safe (hmmm reminds me of myself).  She's forced to move to the middle of no where in West Virginia, sorry, but, let's be honest that really is the middle of nowhere. Well, I guess if your hiding as an alien that it would help being in an obscure location. Katy throughout the books grows up that being quiet and reserved isn't always the best thing. Being a bystander isn't worth it, but rather you have stand up sometimes and be brave.

Daemon on the other his the guy who lives next door, I expected a nice bad boy not someone with really really bad attitude. He's worse than Ron Weasley when he found out Crookshanks ate his mouse. This guy has it bad. Too top it off we meet Daemon answering the door shirtless, bad mouthing his new next door neighbor  He's a great guy of course [insert sarcasm].  

I'm very grateful that this book wasn't a straight out romance where you have one of those chosen one romances. This book starts off we a next door neighbor jerk who we eventually all fall for, though surprisingly Katy doesn't.  She decides that his annoying dork is not worthy of her love or her time, but what do guys love more than a impossible challenge (I mean seriously)?

The subplots in this book I felt were very weak, but the plot took a very charge in this book. To be honest I missed the subplot that let us appreciate the supporting characters who all have individual stories. The Daemon Black and Ash Thompson sub plot just ends when Daemon ends things with her. We never see the "human" part of Ash, we just see a girl that hate Katy because Daemon starts sort of expressing interest in her.

Great romance sci fi book that is good. I'm begging you to read it. Just give it a try and I promise you will empower Katy, fall desperately and irrevocably in love with the jerk Daemon and learn to love sweet and awesome Dee.

Review Endless Knight

Endless Knight by Kresley Cole

Available Now

Book Two of the Arcana Chronicles

Bookologist Analysis: You never know who is whispering in your mind.

In this seductive follow-up to Poison Princess, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole takes us deeper into the dark world of the Arcana Chronicles.

Shocking secrets

Evie has fully come into her powers as the Tarot Empress, and Jack was there to see it all. She now knows that the teens who’ve been reincarnated as the Tarot are in the throes of an epic battle. It’s kill or be killed, and the future of mankind hangs in the balance.

Unexpected allies

With threats lurking around every corner, Evie is forced to trust her newfound alliance. Together they must fight not only other Arcana, but also Bagmen zombies, post-apocalyptic storms, and cannibals.

Gut-wrenching treachery 

When Evie meets Death, things get even more complicated. Though falling for Jack, she’s drawn to the dangerous Endless Knight as well. Somehow the Empress and Death share a history, one that Evie can’t remember—but Death can’t forget…

Some people say that life is a full circle and everything is black and white. The past doesn't leave, it lives on in the present. Some say that breaking the rules is bad no matter what. Truth and lies, deception and trust, love and hate, sadness and happiness walk the same path. This is what the story is about.

I fell in love with this dystopian fantasy when I first read Poison Princess. I'm happy that this trilogy is setting new bars and highs. Love runs deeper here, passion is more passionate, and defined lines are blurred. This book truly made cry at the end at the heart and gut wrenching end.

The book starts right where Poison Princess ended. The world has end do to some freak solar blast and the gang (Evie, Jack, Selene, Mattthew, and Michael) are running from Death. I love the place each character holds. Selene is the over obsessed snob, but you see that somethings are meant to be. The way Matthew is over analyzing and cryptic, annoys you till you see the way the puzzle is put together. Jack is a Cajun Catholic boy, the main love interest of Evie, till you see how he truly starts to grasp what Evie is and that affects him.

This book is not all about action. It has the part where you have quiet realizations and doubts. The line that allies and enemies are blurred. One ally backstabs the rest of the allies. Enemies in another life were your allies. Old promises are kept anew or destroyed. The amount of action is the best amount. Your on the edge of your seat biting you nails right down to the stubs. This is the book where deception happens quietly.

Minor Spoilers

I'm a sucker for the romance. I'll admit it. Jack loves Evie you know it in the way he tells her. Evie loves Jack. What happens though when the boy you love starts rethinking this decision about what you are. Then the bad boy walks in. This bad boy is passionate, he is tired of waiting. This bad boy is out for revenge and he wants his lover back for real this time. This bad boy is Death. And he's tired of waiting for his girl,

Review Poison Princess

Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Available Now

Book One of The Arcana Chronicles

Bookologist Analysis: Blown OUT! The fire is burning and you have only smelled the smoke.


She could save the world—or destroy it.
Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life—until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, killing everyone she loves, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.
But she can’t do either alone.
With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally trust Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?
Who can Evie trust?
As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…
In Poison Princess, New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces a dark and intriguing world, full of unspeakable danger and irresistible romance.

This book was one of the best I've read recently. My blood boiled, my heart raced, and an inanimate object (called a book) took the breath right our of me. This book is definitely a fantasy meet sci-fi. There's an apocalypse, quite an original one not one of the one you usually read about. Fantasy is just he magic that goes on with Tarot Cards.

I, myself got was utterly confused about the beginning of the book. This girl stumbles into some crazy guys house in Tennessee. He's basically a genius creeper living some post-apocalyptic world. The second chapter sorts  itself out sort of. The book begins in Evie's normal life a spoiled girl in Louisiana. Her ignorance hurts her a lot in a world where you can't take anything for granted.

The romance in this book is hot and steamy, granted. Jack Deveaux is your typical bad boy- from the wring side of town, a player, black hair, gray or brown eyes, attitude, tall, and a devil may are attitude. The relationship however is strained Evie is the pull Jack is the push. What's different though is he's Cajun. I love authors that put characters that have a mother language that pops up in a guys English. What I HATE though is when they don't put translations (thank you Kresley Cole for putting some many of them in).

The characters in this book are pretty much predictable in a YA sense/ There's a bad boy that the girl falling for hopelessly and is learning new things about herself. There's a bad boy that has a drinking problem and a motorcycle. A good boy with money and already an interest in the girl. There's a mean girl (you don't meet her till a little into the book) who's trying to steal that boy and is the polar opposite of the narrating girl. A huge catastrophic event and most important of all a few random side character 

The plot was not something I had seen before. There are Tarot Cards, on these Tarot Cards there are trump cards. Twenty-two trumps to be correct. Some of these are ugly rotten people, some are lovable too-hot-for-the-sake-of-man-kind hot. I've never seen folk tales/legends/myths in such a setting. For me this was perfect marriage between magic/folktale and urban fantasy and dystopian (if three/four way marriages are legal).

If you love romance in the dystopian world where hell is on earth. Then please come to love this book as I have.